ENERCA clinical recommendations for disease management and prevention of complications of sickle cell disease in children

Universal neonatal screening is performed in the United States, England, the Netherlands, and several cities in Belgium, with selective screening targeted on "high-risk'' population in France (globally, one quarter of all the babies born in France are screened). Newborns diagnosed with a major sickle cell syndrome (SCD) should be referred to a designated pediatric sickle cell centre, and the parents are informed that their child has SCD; this may be in the sickle cell centre by an expert physician or in the community by an experienced nurse counsellor. The pediatric sickle cell centre should organize the care of the baby [1].